Point of View Park

A short walk up the hill from the Duquesne Incline is Point of View Park, another great vantage point of the Pittsburgh Skyline. Today, we pay a visit to the park, talk a little about the art here, and it’s significance to the region.

The major feature of this little park is a substantial bronze sculpture by local artist James A. West.

The sculpture depicts a meeting between George Washington and the Seneca leader Guyasuta.

Guyasuta was a guide to Washington in 1753. Washington traveled up the Allegheny River to deliver a message to the French. The message, asking the French to leave the area, was not well received at Fort LeBoeuf. The French and Indian War broke out the following year.

The sculpture represents a meeting between the two that occurred 17 years later. A plaque nearby reads:

“First allies, then on opposing sides in that war, these two veterans … revisited their past and debated the future of this highly prized region. Though they held very different ideas about the fate of this area they parted on friendly terms.

This work by local sculptor James A. West captures a moment in time between two formidable men whose actions had a huge impact on Pittsburgh, Southwestern Pennsylvania, and the country that would become the United States of America.”

You may notice Pittsburgh landmarks are a mix of French, British, and Indian names. Fort Pitt, Duquesne Incline, Mount Washington, etc. Control of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, which form the Ohio River just below the park was a major strategic need for the British, who ultimately won the war.

Might we have fought the French in 1776 instead of the British had the war gone the other way?

Emerald View Park

This little parklet is part of a much larger park that follows the Grand View Scenic Byway all across Mount Washington. The 257-acre Emerald View Park surrounds the neighborhoods of Duquesne Heights, Mount Washington, and Allentown. The urban park was born out of a grassroots effort to protect Mount Washington’s hillsides and improve local parkland.

On this blustery day (where ice has formed inside the eyepiece of this binocular) I can’t stay out here much longer!

Visit Point of View Park

Point of View Park is free to visit and is open 24/7. If you choose to explore more of the area, be sure to visit this site for suggested hikes throughout Emerald View Park. Of course, the Duquesne Incline is nearby and the Monongahela Incline isn’t too far either.

Many good (and/or expensive) restaurants are nearby and are the best way to take in the views in comfort.